


S H A D O W S

by KatieK101



Series: S H A D O W S [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2020-10-30 16:04:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieK101/pseuds/KatieK101
Summary: a collection of unrelated one-shots exploring the relationship between Blackstar and Russetfur.





	1. What Did You Bury

_"Why were you digging?_  
_ What did you bury..._  
_ I will not ask you where you came from._  
_ We should just kiss like real people do."_  
_ \- Like Real People Do, Hozier_

Heavy clouds of fog obscured the setting sun. It was impossible to stare more than a couple of tail-lengths past the fog, but the cloak provided Blackstar with a sense of comfort. On top of these StarClan-forsaken mountains, he was venerable from every angle; it felt like fire ants crawled across every inch of his flesh until the fog rolled in.

His Clanmates also seemed to find comfort in the heavy fog. They clustered together and shared tongues, and their eyes didn’t dart about every time someone kicked a pebble. _Finally, they’ve calmed down,_ Blackstar thought. _Everyone has been on edge since…_

Since Smokepaw took one wrong step and tumbled down the side of the mountain.

Blackstar cast his gaze out until it honed in on Smokepaw’s mother, Nightwing. The grieving mother was curled in a tight ball, but her shoulders no longer shook with sobs. Tawnypelt laid close beside her so that their tails touched. _Good._ He didn’t trust her to be alone right now.

Out of the corner of his eye, the fog stirred. A blurry, dark ginger form stepped into clarity, and Blackstar wasn’t surprised to see his deputy. Russetfur had disappeared some time ago.

When their eyes met, Blackstar signaled her to join him. A wiry frown pulled at her lips and she breathed something inaudible; knowing Russetfur, it was a curse of some sort. Still, she approached him without complaint.

“Blackstar,” she greeted him, as she dipped her head.

“You weren’t supposed to leave,” the white tom rumbled, not bothering with greetings or pleasantries. He respected Russetfur too much for those.

It didn’t take long for her to throw them out, either. At that, her green eyes widened indignantly. “You never told me that,” she growled.

“You already knew,” he retorted.

“_Ooh_, I understand now,” Russetfur drawled, sarcastic. “This is another one of those times when I was supposed to read your mind and obey your nonexistent orders, right?”

Blackstar narrowed his amber eyes, and reminded himself that ripping his deputy to ribbons in front of the other Clans would not be wise. “_You knew_,” he repeated himself, and although he lowered his voice, somehow it seemed louder. He refused to tear his gaze away from hers. “_You knew._”

Russetfur cast her glare off to the side. “I’m back now, aren’t I?” She mumbled.

It was the closest thing to an apology that he would receive from her. Instead of hounding her, he noticed the hardened mud that clung to her paws and legs. A frown pulled at his lips. _What in StarClan’s name were you doing, Russetfur?_

She noticed his staring, and shifted her weight on her paws. “You look like you’ve seen mud for the first time, Blackstar. Have you already forgotten about the marshes?”

He raised his gaze to meet hers, and something passed silently between them. “Did you find what you were looking for?” he asked instead, ignoring the obvious question.

Russetfur’s shoulders slumped as she finally allowed him to see how tired she truly was. “No,” came her broken whisper. “I didn’t.”

Blackstar squeezed his eyelids shut. _Of course not._ When he opened them again he meowed, “Get some rest, Russetfur. And don’t leave me again.”

Despite her obvious exhaustion, that caught her attention. Her ears perked forward as she echoed, “You?”

“_Us_,” Blackstar corrected himself. “Don’t leave_ us_ again.”

Her expression twisted. “Of course, _Blackstar._” And with that, she turned around and started to storm away.

“Russetfur,” he called. His deputy did not turn around, but she paused midstep. Blackstar considered his next words carefully, then said softly, “We can’t save everyone.”

She didn’t reply, but the way her tail fell to the ground said enough. She pushed her way into the fog and far away from him. Blackstar watched her dark ginger pelt until it disappeared completely.

_Lizard-brained she-cat,_ he thought, though try as he might it was impossible to force any real malice into the thought. Instead there was only the desire to rush into the fog and pull her back to him. But that was nothing new.

He tore his gaze away from where she disappeared and raised it to the twilight sky. Soon the moon would be high in the Silverpelt and the stars would hang from an invisible string. Talonpaw would be there tonight, too.

_May your spirit watch over us now, Talonpaw,_ he thought.


	2. Not Even Russetfur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Russetfur was not a sweet, sentimental she-cat; she didn't waste her time mooning over toms like a lovesick apprentice. She'd never even had a crush before. But Blackfoot belonged to her.

The moon hung in the Silverpelt like a claw, not quite illuminating the marshlands but shining enough light that Blackfoot didn't have to focus on the path before him. _I wish it were darker, _he thought, as he stepped over a rotten log.

Not that it would do him much good; his Clanmates weaved through the dark just as confidently as their deputy. If Blackfoot really wanted his meeting to stay a secret than he should he scheduled it just before dawn, but while he was many things, an early-riser was certainly not one of them.

Soon the grasslands came into view and farther back was the Ancient Rowan tree. He picked up his pace and jogged towards it.

No cat knew how old the Ancient Rowan was; just that it had weathered many generations. It stood tall and proud, and its' roots provided a shelter of sorts. It was planted on the north edge of the territory and did not border the other Clans, so ShadowClan usually had no use for it.

Blackfoot, however, had found a use.

Once he reached the tall oak tree, he began to slither underneath its twisted roots. As he crawled into the sheltered space, a new voice greeted him. "It took you long enough."

Blackfoot shot the speaker an irritated glance as he pulled his lower half into the space. "It's not my fault Tigerstar pays more attention to me than you," he said.

Russetfur scoffed. "Clearly you haven't seen the way he looks at me when no one else is watching. Apparently he has a list, and I'm on it."

"A list?" Blackfoot repeated as he tilted his head to lick down a tuft of white fur.

His companion hummed. "Boulder told me about it. Tigerstar is planning something, and once he's completed it, he's going to _get rid of_ everyone who hasn't pledged their loyalty to him."

Blackfoot's blood froze. He looked at Russetfur who, despite her cool exterior, was staring at him with the haunted eyes of a cat who knew exactly when their death would come.

"Then pledge your loyalty to him," the deputy meowed calmly, as if speaking to a kit.

Russetfur scowled at him. "And stand idly by as I watch the second coming of Brokenstar? I'd rather take my own life!"

"You might have to," Blackfoot growled. "If Boulder is right then you won't be around much longer, and Tigerstar doesn't strike me as the type to hand out peaceful deaths." The haunted feeling had left Russetfur now, but it clung to him like a spiderweb.

The dark ginger she-cat let her gaze slip from her deputy to the world outside their hollow shelter. "He's planning something awful, I can feel it," she murmered. "I didn't stand up to Brokenstar, and look at the peril he brought upon ShadowClan. I can't stay quiet this time." Her voice took on an accusing edge. "I love my Clan too much for that."

Her words sent the fur along his spine bristling. "Don't talk like I don't love ShadowClan!" he spat. "I would give my life for it!"

When Russetfur looked at him again, her green eyes burned. "And if you don't do something soon, you'll give our Clanmates' lives too!"

"What do you want me to do?!"

"You're Tigerstar's deputy!" Russetfur retorted. "Surely he's told you _something_ about his plans!"

_Not much_. Serving as Tigerstar's deputy was unlike serving anyone else. Brokenstar was secretive, but he trusted Blackfoot and a few others enough to share his plans with them. Blackfoot was convinced that Tigerstar didn't trust a single cat in the forest.

His silence served as his answer. Russetfur heaved a frustrated sigh and mumbled, "What a help you are."

"At least I'm not on Tigerstar's list," Blackfoot retorted. Despite the severity of the conversation, a stubborn grin pulled at his lips. "I can't believe you're not at the top of his list, actually. You stick your tongue out at him every time he turns his back."

Russetfur smirked. "As mighty as he might be, he doesn't have eyes in the back of his head."

"Not yet," the deputy meowed. _But it's only a matter of time until he has someone constantly watching his back. _With power-hungry leaders like Brokenstar and Tigerstar, they could only avoid paranoia for so long.

"No point in worrying about it until he does," the dark ginger warrior replied. She rolled onto her side and issued him a pointed invitation. "We didn't sneak out of camp to gossip, Blackfoot."

No, they didn't.

* * *

Maybe Blackfoot and Russetfur had a touch of paranoia, too. Despite the knowing looks of their Clanmates and the energetic kit that Darkflower fostered, they refused to acknowledge their relationship in public.

Most assumed it was because even the two warriors didn't know where to begin with their complicated relationship.

It started with loathing. Blackfoot hated her for her impure blood, and Russetfur hated him for his ego. For moons it seemed like they would never be able to coexist peacefully.

But as Brokenstar led battle after battle and they were the only two warriors who could keep up, begrudging respect began to build between them. Despite their differences, they found common ground.

When Blackfoot leaped, Russetfur leaped higher; When Russetfur ran, Blackfoot ran faster. They pushed each other beyond their limits.

And then their relationship became something more physical. In the chaotic moons following Brokenstar's exile, nothing was certain and nothing was solid - except for each other. Neither would admit to it, but they began to develop feelings for one another.

But despite these newfound feelings, they weren't prepared for the day Russetfur found out she was pregnant.

They couldn't tell anyone. Blackfoot had been exiled alongside Brokenstar, and Russetfur had stayed behind with Nightstar. The tension between the two groups was suffocating, and- how could they raise a kit in the middle of such confusion anyway?

It turned out they didn't have to. Darkflower found out she was pregnant just a few days before Russetfur. After quietly explaining their situation, Darkflower agreed to nurse the kits. And then it was settled.

Blackfoot didn't know how to be a father; Russetfur had no desire to be a mother. The resulting kits would be better off with Darkflower and Scorchwind anyways.

And yet, when it came time to give their single tom-kit away, neither parent anticipated how difficult it would be.

"Rowankit," Russetfur told Darkflower, exhaustion weighing down her bones. "Keep him safe, Darkflower, and keep our secret safe as well."

And she did her best. When questioned about the ginger tom-kit, Darkflower told the Clan that Russetfur had found him during one of her dawnlight scouting missions. The Clan assumed their similar coloring was merely coincidental.

But when Tigerstar brought the rogues back to ShadowClan, they started to notice the small things: the subtle glances that Blackfoot and Russetfur shared; the way they would linger near the Nursery, close enough to overhear the soft mews; as Rowankit grew quickly in size and strength and reminded the eldest of a certain ShadowClan deputy.

Despite the puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together, though, no one asked any questions. Rowankit thought the world of Darkflower and Scorchwind, and he played with Cederkit like he'd been born alongside him. There was no reason to flip his life upside down.

However, was no denying something had changed between Blackfoot and Russetfur. Their Clanmates thought it was only a matter of time until the couple announced their relationship and took over ShadowClan together. When the announcement didn't come, though, they wondered why.

They didn't know of the day that Tigerstar threatened Blackfoot. Not even Russetfur.

* * *

The deputy and his warrior slept soundly the rest of the night, with his head on her back and her head underneath his chin. It was a rare sight, to see such fierce cats look so peaceful. But every so often, when the weight of the future became too heavy on their shoulders, they indulged in such a night.

The first rays of dawnlight began to awaken the marshlands all too soon. Russetfur stirred with a yawn, always the first cat to wake. It took her only a heartbeat to identify the comfortable weight on her back.

She tilted her head ever so slightly, and purred when Blackfoot grumbled in protest. "Get off of me, you fat badger," she said.

"Go back to sleep," he responded. "It's too early to be so hateful."

"It's almost dawn."

"What are you, a Thundercat? We operate in _the night,_ Russetfur."

"_I'm_ not a Thundercat," she replied, "but our Clan leader is, and I'm sure he'll be searching for his deputy soon."

At that, Blackfoot's eyelids snapped open. "True. Let's go, we've got to get moving."

The warrior rolled her eyes as she shook her pelt free of dust. "As if _I'm _the one protesting like an apprentice who stayed up too late."

The duo spared themselves a few minutes to groom and look presentable. Russetfur felt a quiet burst of frustration at having to wash Blackfoot's scent off of her pelt; she was ready to tell everyone that he was hers. _Great StarClan, if I have to sit through one more Gathering and listen to a bunch of brainless she-cats moon over him-!_

"What's got you so worked up?" Blackfoot interrupted her invisible threats, eyeing the way her dark ginger fur bristled along her spine.

She shoved her inner ramblings aside and replied, "that tuft on your neck is sticking up again. Did Hollyflower not groom you enough as a kit?"

The deputy puffed out his chest. "Even as a kit, I embodied ShadowClan's stealth; when bath time came, I was nowhere in sight."

"That's disgusting." Russetfur began to crawl underneath the cluster of roots, Blackfoot's breath on her back. "No wonder you always stink-_ouch_!" She tossed a glare over her shoulder when the deputy bit her tail. "_Someone_ can't handle the truth!"

Blackfoot chuckled, and when they were free of the roots he nuzzled her shoulder. "You've never seemed to mind my 'stink' before." Then he started the way back to camp. For a moment Russetfur was planted there, unable to do anything other than watch his retreating form.

_He's so handsome, _she thought to herself, because she wouldn't dare say it to his ego. _And strong, and fierce, and determined. _And at moments like this when she watched him march on without her, she thought her heart was sick.

Russetfur was not a sweet, sentimental she-cat; she didn't waste her time mooning over toms like a lovesick apprentice. She'd never even had a crush before. But Blackfoot _belonged_ to her.

When they were young and he fought her with more passion than he'd ever loved anyone with; when he was unsure about everything except her; when they lingered in the shadows of camp and watched their son chase pine needles in the wind. She was lizard-brained to ever think that she wouldn't love him someday.

And that was just it, wasn't it? Russetfur loved Blackfoot more than she loved this crumbling Clan, and sometimes she thought they could run away together and begin a Clan of their own, far far away from the Brokenstars and the Tigerstars of the forest.

Blackfoot, though. As much as he loved her, he loved ShadowClan more.

Sometimes it felt like Russetfur needed Blackfoot more than she needed air or water or prey. But as she watched him follow the path back to camp without her, she knew he didn't need her.


	3. The Small Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halfway there, Russetfur glances at her companion. He has his sights set upon their path, striding confidently in the first rays of dawnlight. Her heart beats a little bit quicker, and she swallows to wet her throat. If he still has an ego, then why is he suddenly so handsome? Or maybe he was handsome all along, and she was so focused on besting him that she never saw it.

It was nights like tonight when the small things hit Russetfur in the face; the things that changed without her consent, without her knowledge. She considers the large things that led to the small ones.

Brokenstar trained an army of kits; then he died.

Nightstar tried to restore ShadowClan's honor; then he died.

Tigerstar promised to usher in a new era; now, a sense of foreboding hangs overtop of their Clan like a heavy fog.

Looking back at the large things, Russetfur can't blame herself for missing the small ones. However, now that she's noticed them, she can't just ignore them.

_(But I also can't just come out and ask him when did I-)_

Instead she asks, "When did we start taking pleasure strolls together?"

Blackfoot stops midstep, and then he shrugs his broad shoulders and continues walking. "Sometime after Tigerstar became leader, I guess. Why do you care?"

"I don't. It's not a big deal."

He looks at her, amber eyes glowing mischievously in the dark. "Then why did you ask?"

"Just forget about it." She regrets asking now, anyway.

Usually Blackfoot leaps at the chance to pester her about things she would rather forget, but this time he grants her the small mercy of keeping his jaws shut. She wonders if he's coming to the same realization that she did; if he's asking himself the same questions now. The thought crawls between her shoulders and makes her uncomfortable.

She risks a glance at him. Blackfoot is staring straight ahead, but there's a faraway look in his eyes like he isn't seeing anything at all.

_Fox-dung, he is. He's asking himself the exact same question-_

To distract both of them, Russetfur blurts out, "I think Tigerstar is lying to us."

It takes Blackfoot a moment to come back to his senses, and when he does he looks at her curiously. "Are you only just now realizing this?" _Wait, what?_ "Of course Tigerstar is lying to us, Russetfur."

She stares at him. "You… agree? But you follow Tigerstar around like a kitten whose lost it's mother!"

Blackfoot snorts. "I guess you haven't noticed, but Tigerstar is the type of cat who demands unwavering loyalty. I'm his deputy. If I wasn't his biggest supporter, he would kill me."

He speaks so casually, like this is a strategy he's been perfecting his whole life. But Russetfur remembers when they were younger and he was Brokenstar's deputy, and it wasn't until the end of his reign that Blackfoot finally realized what a monster Brokenstar was.

She remembers when they were younger and Blackfoot was stupidly brash, dumber than a rock, and so egotistical that it made him ugly. In her mind, he never changed. But staring at him now, shocked by how logical he sounds, it dawns on her that this is another small thing.

The realization frustrates her, so she snaps, "Is your ego so huge that you think you Tigerstar considers you such a threat?"

"Is my ego that huge, or am I really one of the strongest warriors in the Clan?"

This Blackfoot was familiar. "You lizard-brain," she fumes. "As if Tigerstar would consider some brainless lump a threat! I-"

"He considers you a threat, too. If it wasn't for me, you would be dead by now."

This Blackfoot was _not _familiar. "Excuse me?"

He shoots her a smirk, like he _didn't _just tell her that Tigerstar wants her dead. "I think what you mean to say is, _thank you_."

"Tigerstar wants me dead?!" Russetur half exclaims, half snarls. She isn't worried about being overheard - they're at the edge of the territory and the sun will poke behind the treetops soon. Her Clanmates are asleep by now.

Blackfoot shrugs, and if he doesn't start taking this conversation more seriously then _she's going to-_ "There are a couple of warriors he wants dead. He won't kill anybody until he's extracted his plan though - whatever that may be. And as long as nobody openly opposes him."

He glances at her knowingly. "For now, I've convinced him that you hate everybody, so he shouldn't take it personally when you snap at him or grumble behind his back. I don't know how long he's going to believe me, though, so if you could grumble a little less menacingly, that would be _great_."

By this point, she stops walking. Blackfoot stops beside her and patiently waits for her to grasp what he's saying. Blackfoot is not known for his patience. Is this another small thing, or is it a sign that he really does understand the severity of their conversation?

_Tigerstar wants me dead. What I am supposed to say to that? _"Who else does he consider a threat?" She asks.

"Flintfang, Scorchwind, Darkflower. I'm sure there's more."

"How do you know about this? I thought you said that Tigerstar doesn't share much with you."

The way that Blackfoot cast his amber gaze deep into the forest is telling enough, but he still meows, "Tigerstar can't get his paws bloody right now. Who do you think he wants to be his 'assassin'."

She blinks. "Tigerstar told you to kill me?"

Blackfoot shrugs, his gaze lingering on the shadows that flicker across the marshland. "More like he told me that any threats will need to be taken care of, and you're at the top of his list. I swear, this is what you get for grumbling so loud."

Russetfur doesn't know what to do about that, either. She would like to glare at Blackfoot until he bursts into ash, or maybe she would like to storm into camp and rip Tigerstar's throat out.

Or maybe she would like to let her legs give out beneath her, and wallow in self-pity.

Really, though, she would like to ask Blackfoot _when did I_-

"I would never do it," he says abruptly, catching her off guard. She raises her head and finds that he's staring at her now, amber eyes clear in the approaching dawnlight. "Kill you, I mean."

She can't help but snort. "Thanks." She eyes him. "But you would kill someone if Tigerstar ordered you to."

The line of his jaw hardens. "It depends."

"What if it was a Clanmate? What if it was a cat from another Clan but they did nothing wrong-"

"Tigerstar demands unwavering loyalty, Russetfur," Blackfoot interrupts her. His voice is stiff and she knows he wants her to quit pressing the subject. She can't help but ask once more, though.

"But you would never kill me?"

Blackfoot is not a soft cat, but right then, for her, he softens. "I don't think I could," he murmurs. He takes a step towards her, then stops. He's looking at her in some sort of way and it's doing some sort of thing to her, and she wishes she could answer the question that's shining in those amber eyes, but she doesn't know how to.

_When did I fall in love with you?_

"Of course you couldn't kill me," Russetfur meows instead, mustering a smirk. "I'm a stronger warrior than you. Duh."

Blackfoot rolls his eyes. "Oh please, I could beat you with both paws behind my back."

"Wanna test that confidence later?"

"You're on!" He doesn't even take a moment to mull her offer over. "After I sort the patrols we'll have a match. Winner gets first pick from the fresh-kill pile?"

She relaxes and her smirk widens. "I hope you're prepared to humiliate yourself." They banter like that all the way back to camp, falling into a familiar rhythm. She thinks their desire to best each other will never change, no matter what.

Halfway there, Russetfur glances at her companion. He has his sights set upon their path, striding confidently in the first rays of dawnlight. Her heart beats a little bit quicker, and she swallows her saliva to wet her throat. _If he still has an ego, then why is he suddenly so handsome? _Or maybe he was handsome all along, and she was so focused on besting him that she never saw it.

_When did I fall in love with you? _The question is on the tip of her tongue, but she thinks that maybe the answer doesn't matter after all. What would it change? Certainly not the way she feels about him now.

Russetfur pulls her gaze away from him and focuses as camp comes into sight, and chalks it up to just another small thing.


	4. You're Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're jealous." "I am not jealous." Littlecloud glanced at him, and then to his paws. "Blackstar, your claws are out." "It's- I'm protective of her, there's a difference!"

"You're jealous."

"I am _not _jealous."

Littlecloud glanced at him, and then to his paws. "Blackstar, your claws are out."

"It's- I'm _protective _of her, there's a difference!"

Littlecloud's whiskers twitched, amused. "You think _Russetfur _needs your protection? Blackstar, if you two fought, I think _she _would win."

"Of course I don't think she needs my protection, that's why I haven't pulled Boulder off of her." _Yet_. "I'm just going to keep an eye on them. If she starts to look uncomfortable, I'll intervene."

Suddenly Russetfur laughed at something Boulder said, and it took every ounce of Blackstar's self-control to not throw himself between the two cats and flay Boulder right then and there.

Littlecloud stared at him, then shook his head. "_Wow_."

"What?" Blackstar demanded. "What are you shaking your head about?"

"I'm amazed, that's all. Why don't you quit being so stubborn and tell her how you feel?"

Blackstar's gaze returned to his deputy once again, and he murmured, "She knows how I feel. That isn't a problem."

Littlecloud caged the exasperated sigh he felt coming on. He knew that unrequited feelings weren't the problem; there was a ginger tom in the Apprentice Den that proved that.

It had only been a couple of moons since the battle with BloodClan, and although ShadowClan faced a long road to redemption, Blackstar and Russetfur were capable of seeing it through; even if their own reputations weren't pretty, they wanted the best for ShadowClan. They prioritized ShadowClan above everything else.

Well. _Blackstar _prioritized ShadowClan above everything else. Littlecloud knew that Russetfur would have been willing to put one, single cat above the Clan.

"You're only torturing yourselves, you know that, don't you?"

"What does a medicine cat know about love, anyway?" Blackstar demanded.

Littlecloud perked his ears. "_Love_?"

"_Littlecloud_."

The medicine cat stood to his paws with a huff. "Fine, I can take a hint. I have herbs that need sorting before the Gathering anyway." He turned around and started to his Den, but stopped after taking only a few steps. "Blackstar…"

"_What_?"

"Boulder has a crush on Oakfur, and everyone knows it."

He didn't wait for his leader's reaction before padding to his den, but he was sure that the entire camp heard the audible sigh that left his mouth.


	5. Cyclone

_As we left the house and took a step outside_   
_I could taste in the air a familiar sense of pride_   
_And the wind, it blows, as you held your head up high_   
_Then I saw the clouds draw storms into your eyes_

**\- Sticky Fingers, _Cyclone_**

The elders said that the first storm of new-leaf was always the worst.

They weren't wrong.

Blackstar sat at the lip of his den, amber eyes narrowed against the rain that poured down from angry black clouds. Suddenly lightning flashed across the sky, and in the distance, thunder followed.

It had been like this for two days, on and off. The rain never ceased, always a constant downfall, but the thunder and lightning and the howling wind picked up after dusk. He imagined his Clanmates were slowly driving each other crazy, furious at being caged in their dens while the moon was out. Initially Blackstar was grateful that he had a den to himself, but now the silence was starting to grate on his nerves.

He was considering braving the downpour to visit Littlecloud when lightning illuminated the camp again, and for a moment Blackstar thought he was seeing things because there was no way that _Russetfur _was streaking across the camp-

And into his den.

Blackstar jumped out of Russetfur's path as her paws skid against the floor and she slid to the back of his den, crashing into the back wall with a loud _oomph_. Never one to make a fool of herself, she quickly jumped to her paws and shook her pelt dry, soaking the walls with rainwater. Then she turned to fix him with a look of betrayal.

"You _moved_!" she cried.

Blackstar wrinkled his nose in the beginning of a snarl. "You were trying to _tackle _me?"

"I couldn't slow down, and I thought you would make a soft landing! You know, because," she gestured vaguely to his body, "you've gained a lot of weight since you became leader."

Blackstar recoiled. "Did you just call me _fat_?"

"Fat _and soft_," Russetfur confirmed, moving to inspect his nest. "Kinda like your nest. It's awful cushy for just one cat, don't you think?"

"I'm the leader of ShadowClan, I'm allowed to have a nice nest! And- _fat and soft_? I have half the mind to throw you out in the rain!"

"Do it," Russetfur meowed, not looking up as she prodded his nest with a paw. "I dare you."

"You're acting like a kit."

"I _double dare_ you."

Frustration bubbled in his chest for sure, but it refused to give way to the anger that Blackstar needed to keep good on his threat. Even as Russetfur poked and prodded his nest, blatantly disrespecting him _in his own den_, Blackstar knew that burst of anger wasn't going to come.

So instead he asked, "What do you want? Did something happen in the Warriors' Den?"

"Oh, right. Yeah. They're all driving me _crazy_." She rolled her eyes. "Deerfoot and Tallpoppy are being cute and completely disgusting, Oakfur won't quit pacing, Tangleburr is telling every terrible joke she knows, and Boulder stepped on my tail _three times_."

"So you decided to come and drive _me _crazy?" Blackstar asked.

"No, I decided to come and keep you company. I was worried about you!" She climbed into his nest and stretched out leisurely. "You know, all alone and brooding in your own quiet den. You must've been _miserable _before I showed up, right?"

His mind flashed back to when he was staring at the storm and brooding, contemplating visiting Littlecloud, and he cleared his throat. "Well, it was definitely _quieter _before you showed up."

"See?" Russetfur meowed, triumphant. "I _know _you." He didn't miss the challenging note in her voice, daring him to prove her wrong.

And he couldn't prove her wrong, either, because Russetfur knew him better than any cat that ever lived. But just like she knew him, Blackstar _knew her_, and suddenly it all made sense when thunder practically shook the earth, and the red fur along her spine lifted, and she pressed herself into his nest, green eyes wide.

Caught off guard, Blackstar didn't think before asking, "You're still afraid of storms?"

Russetfur shot him a nasty look. "Oh, I'm sorry, did you think kithood trauma just _disappears_ after so long? Because it _doesn't_."

_Clearly._ Blackstar shook his head. "Of course I didn't, I'm not lizard-brained. It's just… been a long time since I've seen you react like this."

"Been a long time since we've seen a storm like this," Russetfur muttered, her gaze drifting past him and to the raging weather outside.

She was right. It had been a long time since they'd seen such a storm. As a matter of fact, the last storm to have shaken her nerves took place in the middle of leaf-bare, back when Tigerstar first took over the Clan. Blackstar had still been Blackfoot back then, obviously, and their nests had been as close as they could get without being close at all. That night, though, they had shared his nest after their Clanmates settled down and went to sleep.

"_It's awful cushy for just one cat, don't you think?" _Subtle.

Blackstar had tried hard to forget about their history, but Russetfur found sadistic pleasure in reminding him every chance she got. It was the one thing she could do to really make him angry these days, when she would look him in the eye and dare him to say that their nights together never happened, never meant anything to him, and he couldn't do that so he would have to order her away from him before he _exploded_.

This wasn't one of those times, however. She wasn't trying to get a reaction out of him, she was genuinely anxious, and the only way she knew to fight it was to be close to him.

Silently, Blackstar slinked towards her and settled into his nest. Russetfur wasted no time pressing into his thick white fur, and a heavy sigh rattled her chest. "Thanks," she whispered.

"If you wanted to cuddle, all you had to do was ask."

"_Shut-up._" A pause. "And that's a lie. If I would have asked, you would have actually thrown me out in the rain."

He laid his head across her back. "Maybe, but then I would have felt bad."

"Why, he _does _have a heart! It must be hidden underneath all that fat."

Blackstar pulled away, scowling. "I am _not _fat! It's all muscle!"

Russetfur shrugged. "I know that. It's just what I tell myself when you stand in the right light and suddenly become unbearingly handsome. I'm trying to discourage those feelings." A pause. "It isn't working, by the way. Just in case you were curious."

He didn't have a response prepared for that. Thankfully he didn't have to think of one, as lightning forked across the sky and Russetfur shied away from the brilliant light. Instinctively, Blackstar pressed his muzzle against the side of her face and murmured, "you're safe here."

Thunder shook the earth once more, but Russetfur pushed into him and with a shuddering breath, she said, "I know. I'm always safe when I'm with you."

"No matter what," he insisted. "Even when we're old and I really _am _fat. I'll always care about you, Russetfur."

In response, Russetfur laid her head on his paws and closed her eyes. It took Blackstar a moment to realize that the vibrating he suddenly felt was her purring and not another burst of thunder.

She purred like that until she fell asleep. Blackstar was determined to stay awake and wait for the storm to end, but it had been too long since he had his warrior pressed against his side like this, and he didn't stand a chance; sleep claimed him just a little while later.

* * *

Blackstar was - _is_ \- a cyclone.

Sometimes she thinks that's why she hated him for so long; every impossible jump, every devastating strike, every proud smirk, and every thundering snarl reminded her of being caught in a hurricane when she was only a few moons old.

She remembers returning from battles feeling drained, almost too sore to make the trek back to camp, and he would march to the front of the patrol with his head high and triumph fueling his strides.

She remembers gathering on the battlefield to face BloodClan. Everybody was scared of what the outcome would be, but she watched as slowly, all of the fear left him. His steps became heavy, dangerous, and he lowered his head, ready to charge the first enemy he saw, and she saw a wildfire burning in his amber eyes.

Blackstar was a hurricane; a wildfire; a cyclone. He could devastate warriors twice his senior and he could bring down even the swiftest of enemies.

Blackstar was a cyclone. And despite her fear of storms, she somehow fell in love with one.


	6. Flirting

"You call _that _a hunter's crouch? You move like a three-legged badger!"

"You should know all about badgers, considering you're just as _fat _as one! Maybe don't swipe an extra toad from the fresh-kill pile tonight, hmm?"

"It's _muscle_. What, are you blind as a badger as well?"

Clawface laid underneath the shade of a pine tree, content to watch the warriors argue like hormonal apprentices and make fools of themselves in camp. Beside him, Nightpelt pushed his mouse away, unable to share his brother's amusement.

"I saw you showing off for the apprentices this morning; aren't you worried that your blatant disrespect for seniority will rub off on them?"

"You _would be _thinking about seniority since you've got one paw in the Elders' Den, you old hag."

"I'm only a few moons older than you!"

"_Wow_. You must not age well."

Nightpelt watched the match, eyes flickering. "They're really going at it today, aren't they?"

Clawface glanced at his brother, then shrugged. "It's the heat. It's driving everybody a little crazy." That seemed to relax Nightpelt.

"Hi guys," Boulder chirped, joining the brothers. "Clawface, I was just talking to Fernshade and she thinks you're right; she only gives them two more moons."

Nightpelt asked, "What are you talking about?"

Boulder gestured to Russetfur and Blackfoot. "Those two. Fernshade is organizing a bet to see how much longer it'll be before they shack up." He smiled. "Do you want in on it? It's a bit late but I'm sure Fernshade can add you-"

"Excuse me," Nightpelt said. He stood to his paws and walked as quickly as he could out of camp. He didn't even glance at the quarreling warriors, who were still going strong.

Boulder blinked. "Is Nightpelt okay?"

Clawface kinda wanted to wack Boulder in his face, but instead he said, "mouse upsets his stomach, he's fine." Boulder nodded, easily accepting the lie.

"You're a disgrace to ShadowClan! What warrior of the night has a white pelt?"

"As if _red_ is any better?!"

"Maybe you should try rolling around in the mud? It would help with stealth _and_ your stank!"

"Why you _ugly, no good, fox-faced_-"

"As if _you _can talk, you _disgusting lump of toad-dung_-"

Rowanberry stuck her head outside the Nursery. "_There are kits present_," she snapped.

Boulder laughed. "They sure have a weird way of flirting, don't they?"

Clawface rolled his eyes. "It isn't just their _flirting _that makes them weird. Tell Fernshade I want to move my bet to a moon and a half."

**Author's Note:**

> This is the beginning of a series of one-shots I plan to write! Unless stated otherwise, the one-shots will be unrelated to each other.


End file.
